Psalm 25:7

Psalm 25:7

Do not remember the rebellious sins, of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful O Lord.

It seems there are often Christians who know they are saved, yet they don’t seem to have any real joy in their salvation. I think one of the reasons for this is because they can’t let go of their past. It isn’t even that they miss their past or want to go back to their past, but because they have so much guilt from their past that they have a hard time putting that behind them and moving on. As Christians we know we are forgiven, but sometimes knowing and believing are two totally different things. Some people don’t truly comprehend that God has completely and totally forgiven them and wiped their slates clean. That He has made us new creatures.

            As I have been reading through the Psalms, I have been struck with how many times David says things about being blameless and innocent. We all know David made his share of mistakes- not disciplining his children, having an affair, having a man killed. I mean even though sin is sin and all sin is bad- in our eyes some of these are like colossal sins. Yet still in Psalm 17 David says that God declares him innocent after scrutinizing his heart. In Psalm 18 he said that he followed all of God’s regulations and had not turned from God to follow evil. God even says in Acts 13:22 that David was a man after his own heart. I found myself asking how David could feel so confident that he was alright with God, and I found it in our verse for today. In Psalm 25:7 David asked God not to remember the rebellious sins of his youth, but rather to remember him in the light of Gods unfailing love and mercy.

            God knew that David wouldn’t be perfect, but he also knew that David had a repentant heart; therefore God could call him a man after God’s own heart. David also knew that God did not expect that he was perfect. He knew that God knew him inside and out and knew the motives of his heart. David also knew that if he repented and turned his heart back to God that God would forgive him.

            God knows our hearts. He knows everything about us. He knows the sins we committed in the past, commit now, and will commit in the future. In 1 John 1:9 it says that if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us of those sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Psalm 103:12 says that as far as the east is from the west so far has God removed our transgressions from us. Isaiah 1:18 says though our sins be as scarlet they shall be made white as snow. Romans 8:1 says, that there is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.

            Are you allowing yourself to be under a cloud of condemnation? Thinking that because of your past (or even your present) you aren’t worthy of God’s forgiveness and love? God doesn’t look at it the same way you do. He looks at you in the light of His unfailing love and His mercies. God knows your heart. He knows when you mess up and he knows when you are sorry you messed up. He knows when you want to do better. He even knows there are times we are like Paul where it seems that the things we want to do we do not do and the things we don’t want to do these are the things we do (Romans 7), but He loves us anyway and as soon as we repent and ask for forgiveness He forgives. There is nothing in your past that God will not forgive, and then when he forgives he puts it away from you as far as the east is from the west. There may be earthly consequences for our sin after we are forgiven, but in God’s eyes you are made right. Don’t let the devil lie to you and keep you in condemnation. God forgives you because of His love and His mercy and it is up to you to accept it. From this day forward I challenge you to work at leaving your past behind you and pressing on towards the future that God has for you.